Ok so the reason you're getting this email is one of two things: either you have been told about (and probably invited to go with) to come with me on my little project to hike up Santiago Peak (Saddleback Mountain.) Or, you have yourself hiked up there and therefore provided me with the idea, inspiration, whatever to go up. It's a brief account of my hike.

So today I hiked up the mountain. I remember telling someone this week "Sunday I did a 10 mile hike on some hills below the peak - it's not going to be that bad." It *is* that bad. Or worse. It is a tough, tough climb up to the top. It's 15 miles round trip with a 3950 ft vertical gain. (In other words, I climbed almost 4000 feet in 7« miles, then back down). At about mile 5, still 1000 feet from the top, I ran out of energy. That was it, I was a gonner. I hit the proverbial "wall." And this mental attitude I have "I'm going to climg that hill if it's the last thing I do dammit" is the only thing that kept me going. So for miles 6 and 7 I stopped about every 100 yards to take a break. And I eventually got there. 5 hours to get up for me.

A mile before I reached the top, I drank the last of my water (just over a gallon) - and I had already taken down 3 powerbars. And, for the hike down, I was dehydrating, fast. I "survived" by taking a little water from other hikers I saw who could spare any at all (which was just 1 or 2) - and it was really taking its toll. For 6 miles, I had to hike thirsty(thank god it was down hill) until I finally got to a stream and took a risk by drinking the running water from a small waterfall. High quality mountain spring h20. I hope. The last mile and a half of the hike, after the drink, took an hour - even though it was downhill. Total of 4 (hours) to get back.

The whole hike was infested with these weird flies that bit constantly, and if it wasn't for my exhaustion, it would have really bothered me. It really bothered the people I went with. Four of us went: Me, German Kaupert, Andy Ireys, and Becky (Andy's girlfriend). They all can tell you similar accounts of being just completely exhausted by the hike.

But, we all made it to the top, and we all made it back down. And it's really rewarding - because when we first started, we had so much energy that the miles went by quickly. On the way down, we were all amazed that we had actually hiked it, and, from the bottom, the mountain looked so majestic and awesome that we were even more amazed that we "conquered" it.. so we all had a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, an incredbile workout, and some awesome views out of it. Not to mention spending some quality time with good friends. Made it all worth it. I might have a different story tomorrow when I can't walk, but right now I'm feeling pretty good.